The present invention relates to compositions that result from the transesterification of lanolin with a Guerbet alcohol. The composition has free lanolin alcohol and Guerbet ester that delivers efficiently and thoroughly to the skin.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,630,134 issued Oct. 7, 2003 to Kenneth Klein, incorporated herein by reference discloses Guerbet wax esters in personal care applications. That invention relates to the cosmetic use of certain reconstituted wax esters, prepared by the reaction of a Guerbet alcohol and a natural high molecular wax ester selected from the group consisting of beeswax, candelillia, and carnauba wax. These materials are useful in making waxes with specific melting points and degrees of hardness for personal care applications like lipsticks, and a variety of other applications personal care formulations. The waxes provide conditioning effects when applied to the hair and skin.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,087,522 issued Jul. 11, 2000 to O'Lenick, Jr., incorporated herein by reference, discloses Silicone lanolin esters. Specifically, lanolin esters of silicones are prepared by reacting a carboxy silicone and lanolin alcohol to form an ester. The resultant products are useful as highly water resistant lubricating coatings for skin. Specifically, the carboxy silicone reacts with the lanolin alcohol in the lanolin ester, exhausting this very important active material.
Lanolin has been used for many years in personal care applications. Lanolin (CAS number 8006-54-0) is a pale yellow paste, obtained from the wool of sheep. It is a waxy ester. Lanolin is used as a topical treatment on skin. Since lanolin is very water insoluble and difficult to formulate into many products, it has been derivatized. Lanolin has been ethoxylated to make water soluble ethoxylates. Generally 75 moles of ethylene oxide is added to obtain the desired solubility. While the ethoxylation provides the desired solubility, the substantivity to the skin and the water resistant properties are sacrificed.
Lanolin alcohol is composed of;
Component% by weightRange (%)Cholesterol34.529.5–39.5Aliphatic alcohols25.012.5–37.5(having 18 to 30 carbon atoms)Diols12.510.0–15.0Lanosterol10.0 3.0–17.03-beta-hydroxy-7-keto-10.0 5.0–15.0lanst-8-eneDihydrolanesterol8.0 4.0–12.0
We have surprisingly found that the Guerbet branched alcohol reacts with the lanolin ester forming a Guerbet ester and freeing up the desirable alcohol portion of the ester, providing a product we call Lanolin Butter. The reaction mixture, results in maintaining the active alcoholic portion of the lanolin and at the same time enhanced skin feel, melt charactstics and giving a product with altered melting point and skin feel.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,789 to Mores, et al. issued Jan. 3, 1978 describes Blends of lanolin wax and esters of aliphatic polyols and fatty acids. The patent incorporated herein by reference states: “Lanolin (refined and neutralized wool grease) has a unique combination of emulsifying ability, emolliency and ability to absorb water which makes it extremely useful in a variety of cosmetic and pharmaceutical formulations. Numerous products such as hand, face and body creams and lotions, lipsticks and lip glosses, shampoos, hair preparations, body and both oils, make-ups, facial masks and suntan preparations utilize lanolin to impart desirable characteristics to the formulation. Lanolin is also useful in the textile industry as a softening agent and finds some use in industrial lubricating applications because of the anti-corrosive and rust preventive properties of the compound.
Anhydrous lanolin U.S.P. is described as a yellow, tenacious unctuous mass having a slight characteristic odor. It is insoluble in water but mixes without separation with about twice its weight of water. The product has a slight acid value and melts at about 36–42° C. Lanolin is a complex mixture of long-chain esters derived from higher alcohols, predominantly fused ring alcohols (sterols), and fatty acids and is one of the few natural fatty materials that contains a high percentage (.about.50%) of esterified hydroxy acids.
U.S.P. lanolin is not without some disadvantages in certain formulations. For example, a problem can arise due to incompatibility of the lanolin with hydrocarbon oils, the product may exhibit an undesirable amount of tackiness or emulsion stability may be unsatisfactory. For these reasons various derivatives of lanolin such as the ethoxylated and acylated derivatives have been developed. Lanolin can also be fractionated to obtain a more cosmetically elegant liquid form which has superior properties and improved compatibility with mineral oils. There has been a long felt need for a product that can have both the desired aesthetics and functionality that is found in the lanolin alcohol fraction. U.S. Pat. No. 4,066,789 proposes blends to overcome the shortcomings of lanolin, and thereby teaches away from our invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,069,347 issued Jan. 17, 1978 to McCarthy, et al, discloses compositions of quaternary ammonium derivatives of lanolin acids. Specifically they teach; “The lanolin quats used for this invention are derived from lanolin acids, preferably, refined lanolin acids, which are reacted with a diamine having one tertiary amine group with the remaining amine function being either a primary or secondary amine. Dimethylaminopropylamine, diethylaminopropylamine, dimethylaminoethylamine and diethylaminoethylamine are especially useful for this purpose”. The products are made from the fatty acids of lanolin, not the highly desirable lanolin alcohol derivatives, again teaching away from our invention. Lanolin is the unctuous secretion of the sebaceous glands of sheep which is deposited onto the wool fibers. It softens the fleece and serves to protect the fleece against the elements. It is a wax, not a fat. It is a complex mixture of esters, di-esters and hydroxy esters of high molecular weight lanolin alcohols (69 aliphatic alcohols (C.sub.12–C.sub.36) and 6 sterols have been identified in lanolin) and high molecular weight lanolin acids (approximately 138 acids (C.sub.7–C.sub.41) have been identified in lanolin). Lanolin is a by-product of the wool-scouring industry.
Wool grease constitutes 10–15% of the weight of sheared wool, depending on the breed of sheep, anatomical area sheared, inner and outer fleece, and season. The average composition of Australian fleeces is 11–16% grease, 6–8% suint (potassium salts of various organic and inorganic acids in the sweat), 10–12% water, 8–19% dirt and 49–61% wool fiber. One hundred pounds of wool yield about 2 to 4 pounds of lanolin. Lanolin is recovered by wool-scouring, followed by separation and purification which may include acid cracking or centrifugal washing, neutralization, removal of soaps, filtration, bleaching and deodorization.